Why does the Anacostia neighborhood get such a bad rep? (apartment complexes, rent)
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From my walks around the neighborhood (never even come close to having an issue) I sensed this is a neighborhood that had issues in the past but is, in large part, moving past them and is in transition, slowly, but surly. But over all, people were very friendly every visit I have made. Saying hi randomly to me on the street, etc. just in a sincere, honest way. One lady even offered me a ride around Erie and we had a lovely chat and she showed me some neighborhoods around. There are tons of old houses, for sure "fix'er uppers".
Any way, I think I have more people say hi to me per visit (4-6 hour visit) in Anacostia neighborhood than 4-6 months walking around Northwest where people just seem so cold and, especially upper NW, so snobby. In fact, I am sure. From what I could see from the interactions with the people (I talk to the citizens of the neighborhood rather than just judge from afar) this is a place filled with people desperate to shake the rep of the past and though genuine and eager, they are at the same time, again, also desperate, I could sense that combination of feelings coming from the people. They really want to showcase the neighborhood as a more friendly place and not just the gossip you here in NW. This is what I thought, at least, from the restuarants and stores I visited, or even just average walks around the streets. Yes, there are still people around who might look as if they are more of old rep kind of mold...But some of the ones who looked that way just walked on past without even a look or just go about their business playing or doing whatever. I dunno, I am sure 98% of these people living here are just like you and I and just want a nice place to live, good friends and are overall, friendly folks and I kind of feel bad for them, that their neighborhood gets trashed verbally.
I think the hype (how bad the place is said to be) far exceeds the actual danger. I've had more issues around Colombia Heights or (gasp) Dupont Circle.. Now maybe it is just my luck that I have not run into that 1-2% who are generally responsible for the bad rep and maybe it is my bad luck that I ran into that 1% in CHeights who are bad seeds..who knows. But I don't find Anacostia to be all that bad.
Look forward to some honest, educated discourse on the subject at hand.
Probably because of all the shootings. I think you're probably more likely to have your car broken in to in NW but there are definitely more assaults/shootings east of the river. I don't believe anyone thinks Anacostia residents aren't nice people but that doesn't change crime stats.
Probably because of all the shootings. I think you're probably more likely to have your car broken in to in NW but there are definitely more assaults/shootings east of the river. I don't believe anyone thinks Anacostia residents aren't nice people but that doesn't change crime stats.
Fair enough. I now wonder, and maybe it is not relevant (but maybe it is) how many of those shootings are between people who knew each other prior to the shooting and how many of those shootings are random, against a stranger? Yes, I know, a shooting is a shooting. Were a lot of these between a certian time frame, can you find stats on that? For instance "generally speaking weekends between 10pm and 3 am" (just an example).
There are some rough parts in Anacostia (like Barry Farms) that give the entire area east of the river a bad rap. Fact is most of Anacostia is made up of decent working class neighborhoods.
If you look into DC's murder rate and violent crime stats an overwhelming amount of these happen east of the river. It skews DC's data in general, because west of the river is now mostly safe, and getting safer. It gets a bad rep, because it proves how much concentrated poverty creates problems, and how much gentrification cures those problems, because the problems of east of the river, use to be problems for much of DC east of RCP. Gentrification made the rest of DC safe, it is the single most successful crime prevention method in history.
If you look into DC's murder rate and violent crime stats an overwhelming amount of these happen east of the river. It skews DC's data in general, because west of the river is now mostly safe, and getting safer. It gets a bad rep, because it proves how much concentrated poverty creates problems, and how much gentrification cures those problems, because the problems of east of the river, use to be problems for much of DC east of RCP. Gentrification made the rest of DC safe, it is the single most successful crime prevention method in history.
First, the rest of DC is not really that safe. Yes, your chance of being murdered may be higher EOTR, but your chance of being robbed, raped or assaulted are almost as high in some neighborhoods on the West side of the river. Particularly in parts of Wards 1, 4, 5 and 6. Gentrification has just moved some of the crime, particularly murder, from some neighborhoods West of the River to the Eastern side of the city and to many neighborhoods in PGC that border DC. This idea that Gentrification solves or prevents crime is BS. Yes it moves crime but that's it, nothing has been solved. Your life gets better but the other guys life gets worse. I'd hardly call that a cure for crime. Nobody wants to tackle the hard socioeconomic issues that create the environment for crime, they just want it moved out of sight. Some the most high profile robberies and assaults last year took place on the West side of the river. DC is a big circle, what you move today will eventually come back to you tomorrow.
That is what it feels like, that it is just being swept under the rug or out of sight but never really solved. It has been pushed out but not eradicated. Plus gentrification has a yucky side effect (especially if too rapid) as it creates distrust and animosity amongst the former locals who are sometimes pushed out or priced out. Ever been on the X2 bus, for instance? Man, some of the things I have heard on there...wow! But I also don't blame them when they see that rent has nearly doubled in some places and they get this sense that the same thing is coming to their neighborhood sooner than later (it is). Hard for them to be as excited about a whole foods or whatever when they won't be able to live near it anymore.
Honestly, this "NW is safe, stay out of NE or SE" is bogus as I have heard too many friends having issues in Adams Morgan or had my own in Colombia Heights or even Dupont but NEVER around Anacostia or Minnoesota NE, for instance. Just the same, I do not single out any one neighborhood but just say "Be careful and aware any where." I lived in woodley park and now in Chevy Chase portion of DC near Fship metro..I could be like the tons of people I meet here and not venture around, but I do and I am better for it and have developed a better understanding of the city and more sympathy for "EotR" by simply not judging but instead trying to understand.
I grew up in historic Anacostia and it was a working class neighborhood where most people were homeowners and everything within walking distance, and everyone knew everyone else. There was vagrancy at those famous corner stores and drug dealing. The only crime I ever had was burglary and theft, but that was from a family member who was addicted to street drugs. For 20 years I was never a victim of assault or shooting and walking down the street was pretty safe. I lived a block away from Cedar Hill where Frederick Douglass lived, and our neighborhood was quite charming.
Downtown Anacostia - Uniontown - was where a huge street party carnival was held every year called the Unifest, until it started to be polluted with criminals who made a family friendly festival into a jungle. I don't even know whether the Unifest still happens.
Our neighborhood was better than other neighborhoods in Anacostia such as Skyland, Buena Vista, Douglass and Woodland. Those are all areas with worse crime than Historic Anacostia, higher poverty and unemployment rates, and hardly any home ownership - they're packed with dense apartment complexes and unwalkable streets.
I still like Anacostia, and I'm a Ketcham alum. I still think Good Hope Carry-out has some of the best fast foods in town, especially their mambo sauce and cheeseburgers with those pickled peppers and shredded onions. I also think the new Skyland construction is going to be only beneficial to the community, and a good compliment to the gentrification plans happening slowly in Uniontown, the corridor along MLK Avenue near the world's biggest chair.
I'm a white yuppie. Anacostia doesn't scare me one bit. Even the black people at work think I'm a little crazy for feeling this way. I just don't know what there is to be scared of. Sure, I would not walk down some blocks late at night, but I could say the same about parts of NW. I have gone to a play at the Anacostia Playhouse, eaten at the Big Chair Coffee & Grill, eaten at the IHOP (okay, it's in Congress Heights, but close enough). Never once have I felt threatened, and in fact, everybody has been very friendly and welcoming to me. I would have no qualms spending more time there, but unfortunately there really isn't much in the way of retail and restaurants yet. I hope that changes. While many are dilapidated, there are some beautiful Victorian homes near the Anacostia metro. Just give it 10 years and the yuppies will have invaded.
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